Interference ( Part 20 of the series)
by Justright
Summary: And old boyfriend of Phoebe's comes to see her and cause trouble in her relationship.


Interference ****

Interference

Phoebe was almost completely recovered from her latest misadventures and her sisters and Cole had made her promised to take it easy from now till the birth of their baby, but Phoebe was seeing things a bit differently.

She had now her wedding to prepare and the first order of business would be to decide on a date, which because of unforeseeable events, they hadn't had a chance to discuss yet.

She had awakened alone that morning and was just wondering where Cole might have gone when he came back, a big smile on his face, with a tray filled with goodies:

"Breakfast is served baby."

Phoebe smiled and admitted that she did feel hungry but still asked:

"Hem did you do it yourself?"

Cole took a falsely offended stance and said:

"Hey what do you mean by that?"

Phoebe:

"Nothing, she says with a teasing smile, just wondering when you learned to cook?"

Cole's smile returned with a hint of mischief:

"Actually, I'm much better at delegating. I enrolled your sister…"

They are still pretty eager to take care of you so I'll admit I took advantage."

Phoebe:

"Hum! You are not abusing now are you?" 

The smile widened on his face as he answered innocently enough:

"Scout's honor, I would never…"

Phoebe laughed at this, still unsure on the actual truth but she enjoyed seeing him in such a good mood:

"So you look much more relax lately, something changed."

He put down the tray and kissed her and sat down before answering this:

"I got my priorities straight again."

Phoebe:

"Meaning?"

Cole:

"All that matters is that you are ok, these last few weeks have been rather trying and I intend to enjoy every moment that we spend together.'

Phoebe:

"Now that is nice to know, she said with a sweet smile."

Cole:

"Come on, eat up while it's still warm. Then we can discuss whatever you want to.'

Phoebe:

"How do you know that I wanted to discuss something?"

Cole:

"You had that look…"

Phoebe:

"You don't know me that well?"

Cole:

"Close" he said with a knowing smile. She didn't argue anymore and started on the breakfast. She was famished.

Piper had just finished picking up the kitchen when the doorbell interrupted her.

At the door, a deliveryman had brought a large box that looked to be flowers. Piper thanked the man and took a good look at the box remembering the last time that they had received those.

On that occasion the flowers had been riddled with maggots and she still could feel the disgust that had inspired her.

But there was a card and the package was addressed to Phoebe.

She immediately thought that this must have been Cole's doing. He had been very attentive to her lately, including the breakfast in bed of this morning. So she didn't hesitate to go upstairs to give it to her right away.

But halfway up she was interrupted again by the doorbell. She frowned but went back downstairs and was very surprised to find another deliveryman with an almost identical package at the door.

She signed for this one as well and started to wonder if Cole had not gone overboard. As she was reflecting on this, she almost closed the door on a third one.

Now, she really started to wonder, and after loading the three boxes in her arms, all of which were addressed to Phoebe, she resolutely decided to ignore the door until she knew what was up with this.

She knocked on the door, and Phoebe just signaled her to come. She was still eating and was thanking her for the meal when she noticed the very obvious packages Piper was carrying…

"Hey Piper what is all that?"

Piper:

"I was going to ask you the same question or rather I think I should ask your boyfriend."

Cole:

"I didn't order anything."

Piper was then very surprised:

"Well, whoever did, sent you a whole bunch of flowers and almost all at the same time."

Piper put down the packages at the foot of the bed and pulled the cards from each one of them.

"At least they came with cards; that should help solve the mystery rapidly."

Phoebe is a little puzzled by this as she picks up the first card and the look on her face tells them that it definitely was unexpected:

"That's from Jeff…"

Cole:

"Who's Jeff he asks with a little hint of suspicion."

Phoebe:

"Hey, he's just an old friend."

Cole:

"Hum!'

The second and third one also turned out to be from Jeff, all with him insisting on seeing her soon.

Cole now is frankly upset but he tries to keep a calm tone of voice:

"And how is it that your old friend is sending you flowers all of a sudden?"

Phoebe:

"I have no idea…"

He lifts an eyebrow in a very unconvinced manner.

Phoebe:

"Hey I swear, I don't know where that comes from, I haven't seen this guy in years…"

Cole:

"And now, he sends you all these flowers? And what exactly is he telling you in those cards." The hint of suspicion now much more pronounced.

Phoebe frowns at the obvious accusation but she still answers:

"He's telling me that he wishes to visit…"

Piper now enters the conversation:

"Visit?"

Phoebe:

"Well Jeff is telling me that he will be here in about one hour."

Cole:

"Maybe there is a way to tell him not to bother…"

Phoebe was now very put off by his attitude or she might not have said what she did:

"And what if I want to see him?"

Cole:

"Suit yourself, he says in an attempt at casual that fell flat, but I think I'm going to pass."

Without another word, he shimmered out.

Phoebe's mouth dropped opened in consternation.

Piper:

"I think he might be a bit upset…"

Phoebe:

"You think…?"

Then she continues:

"Well that's one morning shot to hell."

Piper:

"I'm sure that he will get over it soon. After all, this guy will be out of the picture soon enough."

Prue put her head through the doorway, at first with a big smile:

"Hey can I come in too?"

Then she spotted the boxes:

"Isn't that a bit extravagant?"

Piper:

"You don't know the half of it."

Prue came closer and asked:

"What do you mean," as she was opening the first box to find a dozen pink roses.

Piper:

"These are not from Cole…"

Prue turned to her questioningly:

Piper:

"They are from an ex-boyfriend of Phoebe's," she says indicating the box she had already opened.

Prue then turned to Phoebe:

"Why would he send you flowers now?"

Phoebe:

"I wish I knew. Like I told Cole and Piper, I haven't heard from this guy in years."

Prue:

"Where is Cole? I thought he was bringing you a romantic breakfast in bed? Although I suspect that this wasn't in the plan," she ads indicating the boxes.

Piper:

"To say the least. I have a feeling that he might be brooding for a while."

Prue:

"What did you say to him?"

Phoebe bites her lower lips, not very happy with herself now:

"Well I was a little miffed at his suspicion and I told him that I might want to see Jeff…"

Prue laughs at that.

Phoebe:

"Hey it's not funny!"

Prue:

"Depends on your point of view."

Piper:

"What exactly do you imply by this?"

Prue, more serious:

"Well just that a little lesson in humility is not so bad once in a while…"

Phoebe:

"Unless, the lesson brings the ugly face of jealousy…"

Prue:

"You would only have yourself to blame for that."

Phoebe:

"But I really would like to see that man, if only to thank him for the flowers and for him to tell me what pushed him to send them now."

Prue:

"I'd like to know that too."

Phoebe:

"I have no idea."

Prue:

"Are you sure?"

Phoebe:

"Hey!"

Prue:

"On the other hand that serves Cole well…"

Phoebe frowned:

"What do you mean?"

Prue regretted it the moment she had said it.

Phoebe insisted:

"Prue what are you talking about?"

Prue:

"I'm sure it was nothing…"

Phoebe:

"Prue if you have something to say then come out with it?"

Prue:

"Ok, well the other day in LA I…"

Phoebe looks at her with big eyes.

Prue:

"Well I saw him holding hand with that girl he wouldn't tell us much about. They looked pretty chummy, if you know what I mean."

Phoebe replies, really miffed:

"No I don't…"

Prue:

"Like I said, it was a very emotional time and they were both worried about you and her friend…"

Phoebe:

"So?"

Prue:

"I shouldn't have said anything, I'm sure that it was absolutely nothing."

Phoebe remembered the few moments she had witnessed between them and now she imagined much more than it had actually been…

Prue tried to repair the damage:

"Phoebe you know that he certainly didn't do anything wrong, I was just saying that…"

Piper:

"I think you said more than enough…"

Prue:

"Alright she answered irritably. If I have done enough damage," she snaps, "I think I will go back to my dark room."

And she turned stiffly around, going out of the room without another word. But Phoebe didn't even notice.

Piper:

"Phoebe you cannot believe that he would really do this to you now can you? And remember how upset he was earlier? That's not the action of a man that is unfaithful."

Phoebe distractedly handled one of the cards and answered almost casually:

"Is it?"

Piper started to wonder about her sister. She knew that something was brewing in her head and it didn't look good at all.

"You are not thinking of doing something stupid now are you?"

Phoebe looked at her innocently:

"Stupid? Nothing stupid. I think I'm entitled to know if he truly loves me."

Piper:

"Until Prue talked to you, you didn't have any doubts."

Phoebe:

"Goes to say…"

Piper:

"Be very careful Phoebe."

Phoebe:

"I know what I'm doing."

Piper:

"I wish that I knew that for a fact."

Phoebe made her a face but didn't answer.

For the next hour after Piper left her, she took great pain with her clothes and make up, utterly decided to make a good impression. She was fuming inwardly about Buffy and wanted at all cost to give Cole something to think about.

Later when she came downstairs, Piper tried again to convince her to reconsider.

"Phoebe don't you think it's a little immature what you are doing?"

Phoebe:

"I'm just being polite. He sent me flowers and I really think that I owe him something for it. And after all, I'm not married yet" she ads in a lower voice.

Piper still heard and looked at her severely but Phoebe ignored her and went to answer the doorbell. Jeff was there with more flowers and Phoebe greeted him with her most charming smile. If she had thought about it for more than just a moment, she might not have done this. But she couldn't get over the idea that Cole might have looked in this way at another woman. And that is all that was on her mind that day…

Cole knew that he had overreacted, after all, this was her old friend and he had no right to tell her not to see him. Or at least he repeated this to himself many times to try and believe it. But after an hour of brooding and scolding himself, he had made up his mind to go home and make amend. Unfortunately, before she saw him, he saw her visitor and her reaction to him. 

"But still," he told himself, "she just wants to be nice to him and let him down easy I'm sure."

So he went to the door…

Piper went to answer, noticing Phoebe doing quiet a number on Jeff also…

Seeing Cole at the door she couldn't help but grimace a little. Cole misunderstood this:

"I just came to tell her that I'm sorry, no need to worry."

Piper:

"It's not that, maybe now is not the best time, that's all."

Cole:

"I know that he's here, I'll wait."

He entered before she could tell him anything else and immediately understood what the grimace was about.

In the other room, Phoebe and her friend were talking animatedly about a dinner invitation.

Jeff:

"So you're really free tonight. That is great."

Phoebe:

"Of course and I was really touched by those flowers. I just wanted you to know that."

Jeff:

"Are you…?" He hesitated only a little, "are you married?"

Phoebe:

"No," she answered simply which gave a little jolt to Cole.

Jeff:

"Fiancé?"

Phoebe:

"We still have to set a date."

That was just about the most he wanted to hear but couldn't help getting the last part.

Jeff:

"Then, I'm not too late…"

Her laugh drilled through his heart and he shimmered out right then.

Jeff was already on his way with a confirmed dinner date and when he had left, Phoebe turned to Piper:

"Didn't I hear someone at the door?"

Piper looked at her with very severe eyes and then told her:

"Yeah, that was your fiancé."

Phoebe:

"Where is he?"

Piper:

"I think he got enough of your flirting because he shimmered just after the part where Jeff expressed some hope to win you over."

Piper was appalled at her lack of reaction:

"Is that what you want Phoebe? Don't you see the danger of what you are doing?"

Phoebe:

"He'll cool off soon and in the meantime, I'll just catch up with an old friend."

Piper:

"I think you're playing with fire, literally."

Phoebe is still not too concerned:

"Piper… I just want him to know that it hurt me that he was interested in that girl."

Piper:

"I believe that Prue exaggerated this thing Phoebe." 

But Phoebe cut her off:

"I know what I know…"

Jeff had only gone a little way when he stopped at a corner where a man opened the passenger door and climbed in the car. 

The man:

"So how did it go?"

Jeff:

"She accepted my invitation without hesitation. Are you sure that she's an heiress, she never told me anything about this before?"

The man:

"I can assure you, it's a fact and the man that is with her is just in it for the money."

The man doesn't ad of course that Jeff also seems much more interested in the money than Phoebe.

Jeff:

"Well at least, she's a catch, although I could have done without the kid."

The man:

"It's possible that she won't want it all that much anymore after he's out of the picture."

Jeff lifted an eyebrow:

"You really think so? She doesn't strike me as the kind of person who would abandon her child."

The man:

"We'll see. Anyway good luck, and be persistent, it's worth your while."

Jeff:

"Thanks but why do you do this for me?"

The man:

"I simply like Phoebe and don't want her to be hurt. I think that she would be much better off with a man like you."

Jeff smiles and the man takes his leave. He has other people to see he says.

When Jeff has moved on, the man looks around and blinks out.

Phoebe was more and more upset when she realized that Cole wasn't coming back and almost went to try to find him and have it out. But her pride prevented her from it. In some twisted way, she now had convinced herself that he was the one who had made the first mistake and she wasn't ready to back off. No matter the fact that he didn't even know what she reproached to him.

Cole was of course brooding at the mausoleum and in some ways he was having the same dilemma with pride. "How can she do this to me?" he was asking himself. But on his side of the problem, he had a very painful answer. He knew that learning of his mother's existence and what she had done to Phoebe might have gotten her upset; and he convinced himself that she might be reconsidering their relationship.

By then, his mood was so somber that the arrival of the man who was with Jeff earlier didn't even phase him. He just accepted it as one more bad news that day.

The man:

"Hey Belthazor!"

Cole looked at him:

"Beltram, how did you find me" he asked without much reaction.

Beltram:

"Aren't we old friends?"

Cole:

"I don't have friends from my past."

Beltram took a pained expression:

"You're hurting my feelings." 

Cole is almost amused:

"You don't have any…"

Beltram laughs:

"Now I recognize you. So Belthazor, how is your new life?"

He had said this with a point of disgust that Cole noticed but chose to ignore.

"Why are you here? If you want my head, you can stand in line…"

Beltram:

"I don't want you dead, I want you back…"

Cole:

"That is not an option."

Beltram:

"So you're little love affair is going well, I assume."

Cole eyes him suspiciously. All of a sudden he wonders if he didn't have anything to do with what happened but he quickly dismisses it as a coincidence.

"Yes very well thank you, and don't make a mistake" he says to him threateningly, "if you go anywhere near her, I'll find you and I'll tear you to pieces."

Beltram lift his hand in a mocking gesture of defense:

"I have no intention of doing this. I was just wondering how much longer this farce was going to last…"

Cole:

"I think that you should leave and tell whoever sent you that I'm not going back."

Beltram:

"If you say so. But remember Belthazor, the witch will always reproach you your origins. You would be much better off admitting it and leave while you still can; come back to us. My… Friends down there are ready to forgive you, in exchange for a little information of course, so that if it doesn't turn out the way you wanted, you might still be welcome there. But not for much longer" he ads with an undisguised threat of his own. Then he blinks without another word.

In spite of himself Cole is now thinking that there might be some truth to what Beltram said and he almost growls at the thought.

Phoebe was preparing for her dinner when he finally showed up.

Cole:

"Hey where are you going?" He asks pretending that he didn't know.

Phoebe is still upset by his actions and makes him aware of it in no uncertain terms:

"It really is my business. By leaving twice today, you just prove to me that you don't trust me."

Cole's anger swells again and he can't help the snappy tone of voice in his reply:

"And what was I supposed to think? You were flirting openly with that guy."

Phoebe:

"I was just being friendly…"

Cole:

"That is why you're having a romantic dinner with him."

Phoebe:

"If that is what you choose to believe then so be it."

Cole:

"So you're saying that it's not it."

Phoebe:

"I'm saying that you did what you did and I'm going to do what I want to do…"

Cole:

"What did I do exactly?"

Phoebe:

"Your little time with Buffy, was that pleasant?"

Cole is flabbergasted now:

"What the hell are you talking about?"

Phoebe:

"Let's just say that I wish I knew for sure what happened then.

Cole:

"Nothing happened."

Phoebe:

"That's not what Prue said."

Cole:

"What does Prue have to do with Buffy or you going out with an old boyfriend?" He asks now but with a loud and upset voice.

Phoebe is very angry at his attitude:

"I'll ask you to tone it down."

Cole:

"Fine I won't bother you anymore then. When you're done with your boyfriend, let me know I might even consider taking you back…"

Then he doesn't give her a chance to answer and shimmers out.

Phoebe is left angrier than ever by this and decides that she will have a good time that night just to spite him.

Cole didn't go very far this time though, since he went straight to the basement where he was sure to find Prue:

"Hey" he says with a barely contained anger.

Prue jumped, not expecting anyone there:

"What are doing here?"

Cole:

"Actually, I just wanted to tell you that you might have finally succeeded in dividing Phoebe and me. I supposed that it should make you happy."

Prue recognized the bad signs in his attitude and took a step back:

"What is that suppose to mean?"

Cole didn't answer her question but continued, with a scary edge to his voice:

"What did you do? Call her old boyfriend? What did you say to him, that she needed someone to take her away from me?" 

Prue:

"I don't know what you're talking about. I haven't called anybody."

Cole:

"Oh and you're not the one who convinced Phoebe that I was interested in someone else?"

Prue hesitated knowing full well that she was responsible for that one; but as usual, she used attack rather than reasoning:

"Yeah I told her, because I thought it did look like it."

Cole:

"The nerve of you" he said advancing a few steps toward her menacingly.

Prue:

"I wasn't the one holding hand with that girl, you were. And that looked mighty suspicious…"

Cole:

"Stay out of our business…"

Prue:

"Phoebe is my business, and if you hurt her in any way, I will take care of you." She said this while putting her hand in front of her as if ready to attack right away.

Cole just shrugged angrily and shimmered out.

That night, he couldn't help but follow Phoebe and her date. Every smile she gave the man drove a stake in his heart and by the end of the evening he had almost convinced himself that she was seriously considering leaving him.

Phoebe finally came back home and after fighting off Jeff who definitely wanted more than a simple good night she close the door on him and sighed in relief. All evening, she had felt like she was playing a role. No matter how hard she had tried to enjoy herself, she couldn't help but worry about what Cole told her, and now she really wondered if he was that angry with her…

The answer came to her in the form of a vision. She went back to their bedroom without seeing her sisters and once in there, she went to the dresser, picking up a watch he had left behind that morning. It immediately showed her how bad things had gone:

"She could see him, in the underworld, with another demon. He looked angry and then the scenery changed with him arriving at the manor very angry."

The vision stopped and left her panting and wondering if it hadn't gone too far…

Cole went back to the mausoleum, and there he just sat for many hours thinking and replaying the events of the last day in his mind. He still wasn't exactly sure of how it had gone so badly. At this point of his reflections, Beltram shimmered in again startling him:

"What are you doing here again? I thought I had been clear."

Beltram didn't lose his countenance and instead retorted:

"I could ask you the same question he says ignoring the obvious threat.

Where is your witch?"

Cole:

"It is not of your business."

Beltram:

"It's just that I was wondering, if your relationship is so blissful how come I found you here twice today, alone?"

Cole stood up and towered over the other demon:

"I don't think that you have what it takes to come here and risk a confrontation with me."

Beltram:

"I wouldn't dream of it. But it annoys me to see a proud demon being reduced into a lovesick puppy."

Cole just pushed him rudely at this but Beltram stood fast:

"You see, you look so much better when you let your true nature out."

Cole didn't disappoint him when after Beltram had taken many steps away from him, he prepared to throw an energy ball his way. The demon didn't wait for more and shimmered before being hit.

Phoebe came downstairs looking for Piper and Prue; she now was convinced that there was something more than coincidence in the resurgence of her old boyfriend…

Phoebe, when she had found them in the dining room:

"I think that we have a problem."

Prue:

"Actually I was going to talk to you about something myself Phoebe. I missed you before you went out, but there is something wrong with your boyfriend…"

Phoebe:

"I agree, but that is not what you think."

Prue:

"You should wait until you heard me out before you say that. He came to me this afternoon and he almost threatened me."

Phoebe gasped:

"Why?"

Prue:

"Well apparently he learned of my little indiscretion of this morning and I got the feeling that he was very angry with both of us for that and for your little outing."

Piper:

"What did he do?"

Prue:

"Nothing fortunately but I got the feeling that it wasn't for lack of wanting to."

Phoebe:

"But he didn't, so stop pushing this. It was mostly my fault anyway.

I was less than sensitive and I realize that now. I just hope it's not too late."

Prue:

"What do you mean?"

Phoebe:

"Ok tonight, during the evening, I was so busy trying to make good figure at that dinner that I wasn't paying too much attention to the signs Jeff was sending me. But then I came home and I got a vision that made me rethink the evening in a different perspective."

Piper:

"Clarify please…"

Phoebe:

"Oh ok, well tonight Jeff was nice and all and even eager if you know what I mean…"

Prue:

"We get the point, continue…"

Phoebe:

"But every so often during the evening he asked a bunch of questions about my family and our father's business and all."

At the time, I thought it was just casual interest but now I have the feeling that he didn't come here just for my big brown eyes."

Piper:

"Phoebe we do not have money…"

Phoebe:

"But what if he thinks we do?"

Prue:

"And what would make him think that?"

Phoebe:

"Let me finish, like I said when I came home I got a vision. I saw Cole in the underworld with another Demon and they were having a rather animated discussion, although I couldn't hear what they were saying, then he shimmered right here very angry."

Piper:

"Again what does it have to do with Jeff, he isn't a demon is he?"

Phoebe:

"I really don't believe so. But what if a demon had known about Cole and me and had wanted to divide us."

Prue:

"You seriously think that a demon would go to that length just to keep him and you apart?"

Phoebe:

"Yes if they wanted him to get angry with us and do their dirty work for them."

Piper:

"Wait a minute, that might be. It did seem weird that this guy came out of the blue right now, and it might just have been dumb luck that you had a reason to doubt him at this point. Although I still think that there was nothing there…"

Phoebe:

"I don't know about that but what I do know is if we don't do something now, Cole might turn against us. Or at least that's what it looked like in the vision."

Prue:

"And it would fit with what he did this afternoon…"

Phoebe grimaced at the thought.

"Ok I will go and try to find him, but be certain to watch out for him. If you see him before I do, please tell him he has no reason to worry about me seeing Jeff again. Maybe it will calm him down…"

Piper:

"We'll try, but what if he does attack us…"

Phoebe looked at her sister sadly but didn't give her any answer. Instead she left the room intent on going to the mausoleum as fast as she could. At the moment, she was beating herself up not to have suggested to him to get a cell phone. Granted, it wouldn't have been of much use in the other worlds but she figured she might have been able to reach him now. 

Meanwhile Cole was already in the underworld, dodging his former colleagues, as he was not sure of the welcome he would receive.

He was actively looking for Beltram…

Phoebe got to the mausoleum but after many tries, she couldn't get him to answer her calls. Her level of anxiety rose steadily now.

"What I have done?"

Piper and Prue were preparing for the worst. Unbeknown to Phoebe, Prue had kept some of the potion. She had been meaning to destroy it for a while now, but tonight she was happy that she didn't.

Piper was a little upset about it though.

Piper:

"I thought you said you agreed to try and talk him down?"

Prue:

"Better be prepared for the worse, just in case."

Piper shrugged in annoyance but dropped it as she was getting anxious herself.

Phoebe had been gone for an hour now and they still had received no news from her.

Prue was about to call her when she heard what she thought was Cole shimmering behind her. She turned quickly but was very surprise to find a demon that she had never seen before. Piper got a similar experience on her side. And the demons missed them by only a few inches. Prue tkd the first one away, then Piper froze the two of them.

Then they jumped when Cole shimmered in turn with a very angry expression on his face. Prue almost tkd him too but he changed attitude the moment he saw that both demons were frozen.

"Well good, I was afraid that they had succeeded."

Prue was still real unsure about him and asked:

"What do you mean?"

Cole:

"Well they were not too happy about my reaction to their invitation and they came here to retaliate."

Piper hung her head on the side and asked:

"Invitation?"

Cole:

"I think that they were convinced that my problems with Phoebe would turn me back to them."

Prue becomes really ill at ease now, but still pursues:

"And you wouldn't?"

Cole hesitated only an instant:

"I said that I was done with evil and I meant it. Which doesn't mean" he ads with a little irritation, "that I cannot get angry." He was saying it looking directly at Prue. That is when he noticed the potion.

Cole:

"Hum! I see that I have yet to gain your trust. At any rate, try it on them."

Prue looked hesitantly in the demons' direction, and then she finally decided that now was as good a time as ever to destroy it anyway.

The result was satisfying and surprising to her.

Then she remembered that thing about the brotherhood.

"Another few of your demon friends I guess?"

Cole:

"Yup and they are not alone there is another one. Where is Phoebe" he asks suddenly alarmed?

Prue:

"She's at the mausoleum. But if there is another one, I don't have anymore of this potion for him."

Cole:

"Are you sure this time?" 

Prue eyes him irritably:

"Yes I'm sure."

Cole:

"Well no worries, I'll take care of him personally."

But then, he changed attitude again.

"Oh no, he knows about it. I got to go there." He said it almost as he was shimmering. Prue and Piper got the point clearly and didn't wait to go there also.

When he finally got to the mausoleum, he found what he feared the most. Phoebe was trying to escape from him but to no avail. And Beltram smiled when he saw him coming.

Beltram:

"Well, I figured if I can't get you two to separate, maybe killing her will do it. But I was kind of waiting for you to be here. It'll be more fun."

Even in his panic, Cole tried to answer in kind so as to try and distract him:

"You were always an idiot, Beltram. I told you that your plans were too transparent."

Beltram:

"From the look of you this afternoon, I would say that I came very close to succeed on the contrary."

Cole looked directly at Phoebe trying to tell her what he intended to do with his eyes. She stopped struggling just ever so slightly.

Cole continued:

"You're not smart enough for this, I can't believe they sent you for this job."

Beltram was getting angry now and Cole used the distraction. When he saw his chance he shimmered behind him and caught him by the throat while Phoebe who had anticipated the move had managed to loosen his hold by struggling less.

The moment that she felt him being pulled from behind she dropped to the ground and ran away from the demon.

Cole threw him away in the other direction and didn't hesitate a moment before throwing an energy ball at him which didn't miss this time.

His first reaction was to check up on her and he went to her eagerly, afraid that she might have gotten hurt or that the baby might be in trouble:

"Are you ok?" He asked when he had reached her.

Phoebe:

"Yeah I'm fine" she answered but without too much enthusiasm.

Cole:

"You're still angry I see."

Phoebe:

"And you?"

He didn't answer right away and they just looked away from each other.

Cole finally said:

"What did you intend to do about this Jeff?"

Phoebe is a bit taken aback:

"Why?"

Cole:

"You looked happy at dinner."

Phoebe:

"What? You were spying on me?"

Cole hesitates again:

"I guess…"

Phoebe is tempted to put him out of his misery but she still has one more question that bugs her:

"What happened with Buffy?"

Cole looked back toward her with irritation:

"Nothing happened."

Phoebe:

"So what was it with the handholding thing?"

Cole:

"She just was trying to comfort me. We had had a conversation about her mother's death and mine. And she understood how worried I was about you that's all there was to it. If Prue had asked me this first before making a fuss about it to you, none of this would have happened."

Phoebe:

"Well that is not exactly true. You still didn't trust me this morning…"

Cole sheepishly:

"So where do we go from here?"

Phoebe:

"Do you mind giving me till tomorrow to think about it?"

Cole:

"I suppose."

Piper and Prue were just coming in and looked around searching for trace of the demon.

Cole:

"It's all over."

Prue smiled but it didn't last long before she noticed their long faces.

"What's wrong then?"

Phoebe:

"Nothing, I'd like to go home now."

She moved to the door without another word and her sisters looked from him to her askance. None of them gave them any explanations but Cole stayed behind.

The next morning Piper and Prue were discussing the latest events:

Piper:

"Do you think that there is a real problem?"

Prue:

"I'm sure that they will work it out. They have to."

Piper:

"That's rich coming from you."

Prue was a bit put off but she knew that she had some responsibility in there.

"Still there might have been something else for them to fall apart so quickly."

Piper:

"I just think that both of them still wonder if their lives will ever be normal. I know I can sympathize with this."

The doorbell interrupted their discussion."

Piper:

"Oh no not again," when she saw the deliveryman at the door. She was tempted to turn him down but decided against it.

To Prue:

"Let Phoebe decide what she will do about that guy."

When the doorbell rang again, this time Prue went for it. But instead of a package with flowers, the deliveryman had some official papers for Phoebe. Prue signed for the envelope and intrigued went upstairs immediately with it.

At the door she knocked and Phoebe answered sleepily:

"Come in."

Phoebe had thought about things for a long time before falling asleep but she still wasn't exactly sure on what to do.

Prue:

"Hey sleepy head, you got something delivered here."

Phoebe:

"Oh not again…"

Prue:

"Well there were flowers," she said putting the box on the dresser but there was also this thing she ads giving her the registered envelope.

Phoebe eagerly opened the envelope and Prue saw her eyes grow wide.

Prue:

"What?"

Phoebe smiled:

"Well Cole just made an investment."

Prue:

"And?"

Phoebe:

"He bought the land behind our house."

Prue:

"Are you serious?"

Phoebe:

"Well those look official enough."

She got up now and went to pick the card from the box.

"I'm sorry for yesterday, and I want you to know that I trust you implicitly. How about 3 weeks from today? I love you. Cole"

He chose that moment to shimmer in with another surprise in his hands and Prue figured she should leave them alone.

Cole didn't look at her directly at first and he waited for her to talk.

Phoebe:

"The answer is yes. And I'm sorry too."

He started smiling then and came to her with a medium size box that made Phoebe curious.

After he had kissed her she directed his attention back to it:

"What's in it?"

Cole:

"Open it."

Inside was the most adorable little puppy.

Phoebe:

"Oh I thought you said you didn't like dogs."

Cole:

"I can make an exception and besides this one wasn't afraid of me.

Phoebe looked at it suspiciously for a moment.

Cole:

"Don't worry it's a real one, I made sure."

She smiled and picked up the little dog, which whined a little before putting his wet nose on her face.

Phoebe:

"But we can't keep it here."

Cole:

"I thought you had received the papers by now."

Phoebe:

"Yeah I did but…"

Cole:

"They start building tomorrow, it shouldn't take too long before that little guy gets a new home."

Phoebe:

"You're serious about it?"

Cole:

"I've always thought that this house was a little too crowded…"

Phoebe:

"I guess…"

Then she put the puppy down and jumped in his arms.

Phoebe:

"How are we going to call him?"

Cole:

"I thought Jeff?"

Phoebe laughed:

"Maybe not… But we are going to have to train him…"

Cole:

"Don't worry I already started…"

In the box stood a shoe that he put down on the floor for the puppy to chew on.

Phoebe:

"That's not what I meant."

Cole:

"Oh I only want him to remember that particular smell."

Phoebe was puzzled but he didn't give her more explanation.

Earlier in the morning Jeff had received a very unpleasant visitor.

Cole:

"Jeff, are you?"

Jeff, hesitantly as he was looking up at him:

"Yesss…"

Cole smiled but in a way that made the man shiver:

"I just wanted to tell you that since Phoebe and me are going to be married soon, I don't want to see your face at the house ever again."

Jeff:

"And you think you can stop me" he answers arrogantly.

Cole picks him up by his collar and lifts him off the ground.

"That was a friendly warning, there won't be another…"

Then he put him back down rudely and as Jeff was trying to collect himself Cole picked up a shoe that stood beside the door. He gave another meaningful look toward Jeff than asked almost politely:

"You do not mind do you?"

Jeff swallowed hard but said nothing.

Cole:

"I didn't think so. Hope I will never have the pleasure of seeing you again" he said before going out with the shoe in hand.


End file.
